BIOBASED CHEMICALS these pop , they break the chemical bonds holding together the three core chemical components : cellulose , hemicellulose sugar and natural lignin . “ These are our platform biochemicals , which will be taken by chemical companies and processed into the end-user applications ,” said Lindsay-Fynn . Based on its latest analysis , Bio-Sep believes that it will be able to produce these close to carbon-neutrally , once it has scaled the technology up . The cellulose is a microcrystalline , free-flowing powder that is already widely used as a filling and bulking agent in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics . C 5 and C 6 hemicellulose sugars from soft wood like mannose and xylose , meanwhile , are already used in nutraceuticals and other products .
Lignin alternative
Lignin , finally , is poorly understood at present but could be a vital contributor to the bioeconomy . As another panellist , Dr Stephen Wallace , senior lecturer at Edinburgh University , noted , lignin is one of the most prolific and underutilised sources of carbon on Earth . Over 70 million tonnes / year are generated , primarily as a by-product of agriculture and paper production . Lignin is the complex polymer that gives plants the strength and structure needed to grow , as well as UV resistance , Lindsay-Fynn continued . It has intrinsic antibacterial and anti-microbial properties and is hydrophobic , “ performance properties that lignin can imbue as a petrochemical replacement for resins , composites and coatings ”. The lignin extracted in Bio-Sep ’ s process is unsulfonated , with a low molecular weight . Its high abundance of reactive guaiacol makes it a suitable replacement for phenol in phenolic resins , the firm claims . Studies have shown that these phenols from natural lignins have up to 68 % lower greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions than those from fossil sources . Other applications are envisaged as a polyol for PUR foams , as a waterrepellent and UV-protective wood coating , and in the chipboard industry . Bio-Sep and the National Composite Centre are currently carrying out a project combining lignin and cellulose into a 100 % biobased resin , which will shortly be tested for its material properties . Bio-Sep is also currently working with sawmill partners to build its first commercial plant in Scotland in 2023 , at a scale that will depend on the feedstock available . It is also looking for chemical joint venture partners to participate .
What a waste
Separately , IBioIC and Edinburgh University have worked together using the latter ’ s expertise in microorganisms to progress projects rapidly from benchtop to industrial scale , for instance engineering microbes to make chemical catalysts , including palladium catalysts for cross-coupling . Most recently , they have carried out two projects on valorising industrial waste into small molecules . “ We have this inherent fascination with waste at the moment , said Wallace . “ We are working with a lot of companies to characterise waste coming from existing chemical manufacturing , because we see this as a really interesting source of carbon .” Doing this , he said , has two major sustainability benefits : it reuses
The ‘ Net Zero ’ panel was one of many to take place on the show floor
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